SRC-VRA S.B. 1809 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1809
By: Whitmire
Intergovernmental Relations
4/23/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The 75th Texas Legislature created sports and community venue districts.
The Harris County Sports Authority (sports uthority) has been occasionally
asked to contribute funding for events that do not take place at the three
approved venue projects.  As proposed, S.B. 1809 clarifies that the sports
authority can contribute funds to attract events generally to the
Houston/Harris County area regardless of whether there is a nexus with one
of the approved venue projects. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 335, Local Government Code, by adding Section
335.0721, as follows: 
 
Sec. 335.0721.  PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT FUND.  (a)  Authorizes a sports
and community venue district (district) located in whole or in part in a
county with a population of 3.3 million or more to set aside out of
revenues derived from any tax imposed pursuant to Section 335.071(e) a
promotion and development fund of not more than ____ percent of such
revenues in each calendar year. 
 
(b)  Authorizes money in the promotion and development fund to be spent by
the district or as the district may direct to pay any expenses connected
with certain activities. 
  
(c)  Requires the promotion and development fund to be under the exclusive
control of the board of directors of the district, and requires the board
to have full responsibility for approving and safeguarding the expenditure
of money from the fund. 
 
(d)  Prohibits the promotion and development fund from being used for any
event, activity, project or other matter not related to the purposes for
which the district was formed or the types of projects described in
Section 335.001(6), except that the promotion and development fund may be
used for an alternative project as that term is defined in Section
335.076(b). 
 
(e)  Requires the promotion and development fund to be audited at least
annually and the results of such audit must be reported to the board and
the governing bodies of any municipality or county that created the
district. 

SECTION 2.Effective date:  91 days after adjournment.
[Bill as drafted contains no stated effective date.]